Online programme accreditation application

This user guide is intended to support online users during the application process for programme accreditation.

About the application

The online application form replaces the current paper application and programme and qualification details forms only. A full application includes documentation that demonstrates how your application meets the gazetted Criteria for Programme Accreditation.

There are six sections in the application form. You must complete each section in order before progressing to the next, even if zero is inserted. Each section must be fully completed before submitting the application to NZQA for assessment.

Section 1: Contact details
Section 2: Programme summary
Section 3: Delivery and assessment
Section 4: NZQF accreditation
Section 5: Programme documents
Section 6: Comments

At any time, you can delete the application or return to TEO applications. If you return to TEO applications, any sections you have completed will not be lost. You can resume filling out the application at a later stage.

The application process

When you submit this application, you will receive an auto generated email quoting an NZQA reference number. Use this number in future, if you need to email or speak to a member of staff.

You will be notified when your application has passed through pre-assessment. Pre-assessment determines if an application has sufficient information to be processed further. You should expect a response within five working days.

Your application will then be allocated to an analyst in the Service Delivery team who may contact you to discuss your application further, if necessary.

You will be invoiced on a regular basis for ongoing work on your application at a rate of $150 per hour plus GST.

For further information see Course approval and accreditation.

Please direct any queries about this application to our administration and service team. Remember to include the NZQA reference number on all correspondence.

Before you get started

Before you begin this application, check you have:

Finished the development of the programme; and
The necessary accreditation for any unit standards that may be included in the programme, and
Made an application for any unit standards you don’t have accreditation for.

References

Throughout this guide, two booklets are regularly referenced. You should have these handy when filling out your application form. They are:

Guidelines for approval of programmes of study leading to qualifications listed on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework and accreditation of tertiary education providers (PDF, 393KB) (referred to as Criteria throughout this guide)
The New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications (PDF, 765KB) (referred to as the Register policy throughout this guide)

Navigation hints

Click the Return to application overview link to leave the section you are in and return to the application summary screen.

Click the Return to TEO applications link to leave the application and return your TEO applications summary page. Any sections you may have completed will be saved and you can resume filling out the application later.

Complete all fields marked with an asterisk (*), as these fields are mandatory.

Filling out the form

Section 1:

Contact details

Enter the name of the key contact person for this application.

If NZQA requires more information, this is the person they will contact. An email address is required because auto-generated communications will be sent there.

Section 2:

Course summary

Search for the course number or part of its title. Course information will pre-populate.

Section 3:

Delivery and assessment

This section is about delivery mode and methods, and assessment methods. For delivery mode, choose one of the following:

Face-to-face
Distance, or
Blended

Examples of delivery methods are classroom, lecture, tutorial, workshop, fieldwork, work-based, distance and online

Examples of assessment methods are open book test, written assignment, oral presentation, and practical observation

You will also need to include a section relating to delivery mode and methods (criterion 2) and assessment methods (criterion 3) in the course documentation.

Section 4:

NQF accreditation

This section allows you to check that you have the correct unit standards. If you need to make any changes, go back to Section 3 Course Summary.

Section 5:

Course documents

You must supply the two types of documents mentioned below. These documents must demonstrate that your application meets the gazetted Criteria, and are essential before an analysis can be made.

1. Revised Programme Structure

You must provide a document that covers the makeup of the revised programme (i.e. units, lessons, modules assessments) and the topics covered in each component. It should also provide an outline of the programme delivery, showing how much time is spent (hours per day, or hours per week) covering the programme material.

2. Supporting Evidence

Please also attach any other evidence that you meet the criteria for programme accreditation. Suitable documents include, a Student handbook, Course brochure, Letters of support etc.

Section 6:

Comments

Please add any comments about the programme or process here.

Submitting your application

Before submitting your application you will be asked to review the full application form. Please note that all sections of the application form will appear even if they are not applicable to the application to be submitted.

You are now ready to submit your application. Before you do, check:

The two types of documents requested in Section 5 have been attached to your application or are ready to be posted to NZQA; and
You have accreditation for any unit standards that are included in the course.

Finished!

When you click Submit Application, your application will appear in the TEO applications table. You can View your completed application, or Withdraw your completed application until such time that an outcome has been reached.